ELVIS & NIXON  3.8*** (The movie was produced by Amazon and did not go in the theaters. It’s available on Amazon and will probably be available on other channels.)

       Believe it when they say 'truth is stranger than fiction". This is the bizarre account of Elvis Presley (Michael Shannon) flying a commercial airline to the nation's capital for a secret meeting with President Nixon.. Elvis, with best and patriotic intentions, goes to The White House, with a hand-written letter asking for a Federal Agent-At-Large badge. It is December 21, 1970, just four years before Richard Nixon (Kevin Spacey) would be forced to resign from office. The Commander-in-Chief reluctantly decides to meet Elvis after urging from White House staff and, more importantly, his daughter asking for an autographed picture of Elvis.

This movie, similar to the meeting itself, is entertaining and an interesting oddity. It is a tongue in cheek look at the actual meeting that has comic and heartwarming qualities. We have the ego-maniacal "stuffed shirt" President Richard M. Nixon and the megastar Elvis Presley. Both men, of great importance for different reasons, are boasting and bragging on the other to get what they wanted. Elvis wanted his badge and  Nixon wanted an autographed picture.  Spacey is hilarious, playing the role a bit downbeat, but has all the Nixon mannerisms down pat. He steals the show from Shannon, who doesn’t really  look or act so much like Elvis, but tries to say something with his dead eyes. This is a hysterical,  historical comedy about the actual meeting.

This will not become a movie classic nor will it be a movie that history classes will view for accuracy. What this is though is tremendously entertaining and watchable. This is a movie you can just sit back and watch and not have to think about .  

Clark

PS: The actual photo (see below) taken at the meeting has become the most requested photo from the National Archives.
Something also on the odd side, is that the soundtrack has NO Elvis music. Tunes are by Rufus Thomas, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave and Blood, Sweat & Tears.